Tip of the Day - Backhand Serve Deception

The key to deception on the backhand serve is the elbow. To get a good sidespin or side-topspin, you should vigorously pull up with the elbow (up and to the right if you are a right-hander), and contact the ball on the sideways or side-up portion of the swing. However, if you are serving backspin (where you contact the ball earlier, on the downswing), this all takes place after contact. But by still using this vigorous elbow pull just after contact, your opponent will often see the big follow-through, and mistakenly read sidespin or side-topspin on your backspin serve!